What is this site about? It is the
largest web compilation & repository of studies about the
origin, history, geography, religion, arts, thinkers, trade,
industry, mythology, language, literature, music,
wars, archaeology and culture of the Canaanite Phoenicians.

Mission Statement

This site contains an anthology and encyclopedic reference of Canaan/Phoenicia and its people (please see Introduction: Summary).

Note: Phoenicians,
Canaanites & Punic/ Carthaginians are the same people: Eastern
Canaanites called Phoenicians by the Greeks & Western Canaanites
called Punic by the Romans. Both referred to themselves as Canaanite.

Approach to History

In writing this history, I tried to be open to new and
sometimes controversial subjects; hence, some sections may
contradict others in this site, or contain quasi archaeology.
However, I won't tolerate blatantly outrageous claims. I categorically
affirm that I have NO political, religious or ethnic agenda in promoting and disseminating information about my Phoenician Canaanites
ancestors. Suggestions of nationalism, fanaticism or political propaganda
are emphatically rejected.

Beginning with the original Canaanite Phoenicians and the various ethnic groups who intermarried with them over thousands of years. Though the main stock of these people is Canaanite, they also include others who were assimilated by choice or invasion. Hence, people like the Philistines, Assyrians, Macedonians, Mesopotamian, Persian, Greeks, Romans, Syriacs, Byzantines ...etc. who settled in Phoenicia or its colonies and called them their home are included in this scope. The site is not meant to be nationalistic but attempts to identify the said people's contribution to the ancient and modern world.

Phoenicia Died Out Misinformation

A number of historians ignorantly claim that Phoenicia
ceased to exist in 64 BC, when it became part of the Roman world.
However, official records indicate that in 425 AD Phoenicia Prima
was subdivided into two provinces, Phoenicia
Maritima and Phoenicia Libanensis by the Romans. In early Byzantine times, Phoenicia was governed by the Count of Phoenicia. Further,
excavations of at Tel Kadesh (158 BC) in Israel as well as the
witness of Saint Augustine (400 AD), Church Councils of Tyre (449
& 515 AD), the Fall of Phoenicia to the Arabs (640 AD) and
the honorary living title "Metropolitan Archbishop
of Phoenicia Maritima"which Lebanese bishops
continue to carry today (see page
with translation -- MP3 Byzantine psaltica chants: Bishop
of Beirut & Bishop
of Tripoli) are a few of many solid proofs that Phoenicia
and its people live on despite the misinformation.

Religious Books & Historical Fiction

There is some history in the Bible, Torah, apocrypha & other religious
writings, but using any of these books for historical research
and discussions is unacceptable. I am a Christian and do respect the Bible as a book
of faith not history. Holy books and their mythological stories
are unreliable historical sources; however, some historical
outlines may be used in very limited terms. So-called proofs of historical or genealogical significance based
on all books of faith are respectfully rejected. Those who are displeased with my statements on these books are invited to leave this site immediately -- no discussions. Heretical Evangelicals a.k.a. Fundamentalist Christians, conservative Jews or Muslims, consider yourselves duly warned that you will be severely dealt with, if you do not stop badgering me with your related impudent e-mails. You may not question my opinion on the didactic but non-literal interpretation of holy books.

The Semites -- A name invented in the 1700's

Bible fanatics continue to shamefully write to me on the Phoenicians being the "cursed" descendent of Shem using the Bible as supporting "evidence." This claim is completelyunfounded.
The term Semites is applied to a group of people who inhabited the Levant and spoke similar languages but were not necessarily of the same or identical ethnic
origin -- Arabs, Israelis, Phoenicians, Aramaeans, Syriac ...etc.
The expression is derived
from the mythical Biblical table of nations
& the descendants of the fictional character Noah and his sons,
Shem, Ham or Japheth. The term Semite does not have any
historical origin. It came into use at the end of the 18th century*
& thereafter became a standard technical term. Like many other
common mistakes -- such as lumping all the peoples of the Middle
East into one pan-Arab group -- the term Semite was adopted & used without denoting true ethnicity. The same
applies to Hamites & Japhethites.________________* The term Semite was proposed
at first for the languages related to the Hebrew by Ludwig Schlözer,
in Eichhorn's 'Repertorium', vol. VIII (Leipzig, 1781), p. 161.
Through Eichhorn the name then came into general usage (cf. his
'Einleitung in das Alte Testament' (Leipzig, 1787), I, p. 45.
In his 'Gesch. der neuen Sprachenkunde', pt. I (Göttingen, 1807)
it had already become a fixed technical term. The Catholic
Encyclopedia, Volume XIII

It became evident to me during my research that various forces
impacted almost all Phoenician/Canaanite subjects. In short, I
found that historians and archaeologists were predominantly inclined
to Eurocentrism (especially Hellenistic supremacist who think that the Greeks had exclusive access to knowledge) or Judeocentrism. Specifically, Phoenician thinkers were ignored and their work credited to the Greeks, Romans
or Israelites.

N.B.
The red-highlighted "formulae" are to be applied to
all the paragraphs that follow though they don't negate racial
intermarriages. Comments or correspondence regarding these points
are regretfully not open for discussion. ABUSE of open dialogue has made this
measure necessary.All other subjects are, of course, open for discussions.

On
the other hand, minimalists/nihilists (as referred to by Biblical
Archaeologists) dismiss the 5 books of Moses and with them the exile
in Egypt of Israelites, Exodus...etc as nothing but fiction written
later than 1000 BC. With that they dismiss the existence of Kings
David and Solomon. Their position is considered anti-Semitic by
some; and they claim that the Israelites were actually Canaanites
themselves. By doing that they confuse Phoenician Canaanite history
with Israeli history (see the page entitled Stealing"). The same
is further aggravated by some fundamentalist Christians,
British Israelism and the confusion over equating Dan, the lost
tribe of Israel, with the Phoenicians, not to mention the preposterous fiction that is taught by the LDS Mormons or Anti-Semites.

Roman Bad Press, Bible Writers, and Fanatics

Also, anti-Phoenician sentiments were the result of bad press by
Roman historians, particularly after the Punic wars, and Jewish
zealotism and hate of Phoenician religion by Bible writers. This
was particularly so because of the infestation of pagan worship
in the religion of the Israel caused by Queen Jezebel of Israel
(a Phoenician Princess). Fundamentalist obsession with the literal
interpretation of their religious book or political fanaticism of
others with various agenda cloud the truth.

Arabists' Antagonism

Many of various religious backgrounds from Arab countries, especially
Lebanon and Levant pan-Arabists or fanatical pan-Islamists simply cannot tolerate the mention of
the Phoenicians or
their descendent in the modern world. They assume such a mention
has political and religious overtones. However, Phoenician blood
runs through their own veins themselves and most people in the region
-- Phoenician does not mean Maronite
Christian only, something which nobody claims but which Arabists
assume. Further, there is no reason for those aforementioned who
suffer from this Phoenician Complex to deny their heritage.
Such people have no shame and are fools to ignore their great heritage.
Many other people from the Lebanon, Levant and western Mediterranean, including European and
North African Muslim, Arab countries proudly accept Phoenician as
their heritage and ancestry. (my witnesses testify to this effect on the Tunisia and the Am I? testimonial pages). Canaanite
Phoenicians pre-date the Arabs, anyway. For a resounding answer "No; we are not Arabs!" follow the link.

Afrocentrics

Afrocentrism is not without blame in
smothering Phoenician contribution to the ancient world. Many historians
and archaeologists of that persuasion claim that the Phoenicians
Canaanites themselves were sub-Saharan African based on unscientific
Biblical myths or some unfounded claims. They claim that the Canaanites
were Hamites or associate the Punic with native aboriginal North
Africans, while the latter and/or Berber are not even sub-Saharan
blacks. They, therefore, deny the Canaanites their rightful place
in history. Phoenicians of the Eastern Mediterranean or the Western
Mediterranean (such as famous Hannibal or the Phoenicians of Carthage,
Spain, Portugal, Sicily ...etc.), the Punic, were Semitic speaking
Mediterraneans.*
This statement does not negate the theory that
all humans first evolved in Africa and thereafter populated the
world (Migration).

Warning

Repeated
note: Comments or correspondence regarding all the above points
are regretfully not open for discussion. Abuse of open dialogue has
made this measure & reactionary (to your correspondence) proclamations necessary. All other comments are welcome.

Website Index with Page Titles

Phoenicians Left Deep Genetic Mark, report in the New York Times, DNA Legacy report on BBC. One in 17 men living today on the coasts of North Africa and southern Europe have Phoenician ancestor & BBC's proto-Phoenician script.

DISCLAIMER:
This is to certify that this website, phoenicia.org is NOT in any way related to, associated with or supports the Phoenician International Research Center, phoeniciancenter.org, the World Lebanese Cultural Union or any other website or organization foreign or domestic. Consequently, any claims of association with this website are null and void.

DISCLAIMER:
Opinions expressed
in this site do not necessarily represent Phoenicia.org nor do they necessarily reflect those of the various authors, editors, and owner of this site. Consequently, parties mentioned or implied cannot be held liable or responsible for such opinions.

The material in this site was researched,compiled,
and designed by
Salim George Khalaf, NC, USA
Use of materials from this site is not allowed without written permission from the author and must hyperlink back to https://phoenicia.org

Note: Left is my name written in Egyptian Hieroglyphics, Cyrillic (Bulgarian & Russian), Greek, Hebrew, Arabic, Ugaritic, Aramaic, Phoenician, and Latin.
(Click on the image to view a larger version)

DATE (Christian and Phoenician):
,
year 4758 after the foundation of Tyre